Horizon Dramaticus Personafication

[Gweivyth]

I wonder if Aerec is paying taxes on all these payments, he does know he is supposed to declare all this money people are giving him and pay taxes on it right? he knows that right?!

None of the individual donations are high enough that he couldn't just write them off as gifts.

I'm more shocked that they have somehow managed to figure out how to spend that much more than Wings did while running significantly more efficient software while still on the same exact host. And good lord they got ripped off on SSL certs. Ours were $7.

Where is this spreadsheet even from? I'm skeptical.

[rate]

What someone is doing when they run a private server in the way Aerec is doing is they are straight up running a business. It's no different than a streamer or a company running a free to play mobile game in reality, and they need to declare all these payments to the taxman. You offer the base content for free with the knowledge whales will give you large donations or purchases. It's just a guy with people giving him big donos to his bank account, and he can do what he wants with it and find other avenues to make money too. Not like there is any government agency making sure they don't con these people out of their money or lie. We see "good people" taking advantage all the time, we just had a big youtuber running a charity for 10 years and he gave none of the money to that charity for instance.

Also it's scummy to keep all these donations secret as he does and not allow every user to see it, cause when you don't inform your users you're getting good money the ignorance encourages someone to donate $50 they really can't afford, thinking you need that money to keep the thing running. When you actually have thousands in the bank, and can easily get more from the milking cows he gave staff jobs to for the money they paid.

A lot of pay for positions and pay for influence goes on in these things, because of course it always does since people are always desperate for status in anything someone sets up that has a community. He is obviously completely ok with that looking at all these big donations, when he strangely doesn't seem to be actually paying money into this thing himself at all. Everyone else seems to be paying for his server but him.

[Gweivyth]

Aerec cheated a ton while he was an admin on Wings so I'm not shocked that he would do sketchy things, but there are also plenty of other more legitimate things to criticize than people giving him money of their own free will. Nobody forced anyone on that list to do that, stop white knighting for people who aren't even upset. If people donated money "they can't afford," that's their fault for being irresponsible adults, stop trying to assign blame to someone else just because you don't like them.

Also, tax exempt gifts are extremely common and perfectly legal assuming he's using PayPal or some other digital platform. You can receive up to $17,000 in a year from any individual without paying taxes on it. I paid taxes on the Patreon donations from Wings, but that's handled all by Patreon before they pay out and only because they are considered not being donations from people, but rather a business entity. (I guess because Patreon pools the funds before distribution.)

So yeah, nothing illegal going on there. Find a better gripe.

[Salodin]

If ffxi money drama involves dollars and not gil then I don't wanna hear about it

Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk

[rate]

Streamers tried to evade paying taxes on donations, they had to pay all those taxes back when they were audited.

These are not gifts, they are being given for a service. aka, none of these people would of given any of this money to Aerec if not for the service he provides being in operation.

[Gweivyth]

Streamers tried to evade paying taxes on donations, they had to pay all those taxes back when they were audited.

These are not gifts, they are being given for a service. aka, none of these people would of given any of this money to Aerec if not for the service he provides being in operation.

Yeah man, because they are getting paid by a corporation that pools those donations into a bulk payout. We've already been over this.

I don't disagree with you that Aerec is a dirtbag but if this is the best you can do then you really don't have much.

[Ksandra]

Im trying to find the spot where we are supposed to care.


Rich evade taxes for billions of dollars every year. What’s the stress over a few thousand dollars to keep a sever going. I don’t get why anyone is wasting their time on this.

[arus2001]

I mean, the gaming industry has progressively built up their systems of preserving intellectual property over the past couple decades. Some methods may make sense while others are undoubtedly consumer unfriendly. And while I'll generally take the stance that piracy is an overblown boogeyman justification for things done, it's still a technicality in their favor should a company choose to act against it. Tens of thousands of dollars over the course of a year or not.

From the player perspective, there's always that looming specter of "legal RMT" and other aspects of favoritism that can arise from greasing palms. This ties into my old argument that a lot of people who decide to run servers aren't qualified to objectively do so, as they tend to deflect to the hobby defense or just downplaying issues in general from their position of authority. If things were intended to just be a fuck around, funny haha sandbox sort of environment, I doubt much of anyone would truly give a shit. However, when you're going to go the extra mile of trying to push "era accuracy" or whatever the flavor terms du jour, then that level of preservation opens a door to all sorts of critiques. And also generally why I assert circa-2005 retail can never be replicated in the private scene as population alone is a major factor to world feel. Assuming any sort of accuracy to that chart, though, seeing people dropping thousands is reason for pause on multiple levels and unironically a reflection of problems with modern gaming, as well.

[carlweathers]

You're both kinda off the mark imo. Plenty of people would play retail, but the barrier to entry is that sub and I don't want to play enough to be subbed monthly just to touch it for that dopamine hit a couple hours a week. A free server kinda fixes that.

The problem is free servers are run like shit, this one included, and I yearn for a properly ran ffxi server that I don't feel guilty paying for cause I'd play it so little.

If SE gave me Salodin to download and play offline, I'd do it in a heartbeat. In a fucking heartbeat. The problem is he's stuck on retail and Salad is not down for remaking him in the current private environment.

Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk

I don't know many people who play on private servers, but I find this hard to believe. I think FFXI players skewer towards people in their 30s, who have disposable income. I don't think the subscription is driving them to play private servers. I think its going to be way more likely people who play on private servers just dont like what retail has become post 2010.

Then again, I dont have any real data. But that seems to be the case for all these Classic MMO private servers like EQ and WoW, as other people in this friend have corroborated with their anecdotes.

[rate]

Im trying to find the spot where we are supposed to care.


Rich evade taxes for billions of dollars every year. What’s the stress over a few thousand dollars to keep a sever going. I don’t get why anyone is wasting their time on this.

You're replying to a post in a thread called "Horizon Dramaticus Personafication", it's a drama thread.

Also I fully understand human nature, as long as he supplies the product you like you will defend or stay silent on anything they do that is bad. As long as it does not impact the product you want or you in particular, it's k. He could flay and eat kittens alive and you would still login and skillup guard tomorrow, because that's how it is.

However, what these posts are doing is cataloguing all the shady shit he and they are doing, ready for the day when he fucks you and others over. Just as they banned someone you would think they would not ban (setsuko, a large endgame ls leader), they will one day possibly ban or take a dump on you from orbit if you annoy one of their VIP donors, and that's just the way it is on a private server run by "some dude".

Private servers are corrupt by nature due to the kinds of people who run and are invested in them, all the power, all the free money with no checks in place, all the adoration and defenders, all the backstabbing and all the frustrations lead to bad things over time. The people who run them are often damaged people with a laundry list of personality flaws, and ultimately it's just a matter of time till they fuck everyone over.

Imagine 15 years ago during kings and how invested we all were if you could "donate" $5k to SE GMs, that would of been a big deal right? Square Enix are a billion dollar corporation though and they would not take your pissy little $5k to ingratiate yourself with them, a private server owner will though. There won't even be any agreement, there will just be that $5k and him liking you a little bit more than the other guy you have a problem with.

One day you will be fucked over, and on that day all this bounty in the thread will be here for you.

Many people on the outside think Aerec is not a good person and that's a problem because he is effectively the god of your server and all the thousands of hours you're putting into it. There are numerous bad things going on behind the scenes, he has a lot of flaws and he is a gigantic narcissist. It's like having a psycho partner and everyone telling you how bad they are and how crazy they are, and that you should leave them! but they do that thing you like and so you ignore everyone. Then one day you wake up with them staring at you, a knife in their hand and your pp has been removed.

Some people just gotta learn the hard way.

Just as Spicyryan will one day will get removed from catseye for being true to his nature, and on that day he will devote his life to leaking everything he saved up in the time prior on the server and carver, hating everyone playing on it and trying to get it shut down.

[Spicyryan]

I don't know many people who play on private servers, but I find this hard to believe. I think FFXI players skewer towards people in their 30s, who have disposable income.

Okay Boomer.

I don't think the subscription is driving them to play private servers. I think its going to be way more likely people who play on private servers just dont like what retail has become post 2010.

Then again, I dont have any real data. But that seems to be the case for all these Classic MMO private servers like EQ and WoW, as other people in this friend have corroborated with their anecdotes.

I agree, no one wants to play in a stagnant community that has become isolated and dominated by bots and RMT with almost no additions or improvements. I pay my sub, tell myself I am doing my part, and some day I will return, but its simply a more intimate FFXI experience—both in the world and community—with some actual updates and adjustments on a decent PS.

[rate]

I agree, no one wants to play in a stagnant community that has become isolated and dominated by bots and RMT with almost no additions or improvements. I pay my sub, tell myself I am doing my part, and some day I will return, but its simply a more intimate FFXI experience—both in the world and community—with some actual updates and adjustments on a decent PS.

The only reason you pay the sub on retail is the only reason Aerec and Kipling pay their retail subs too, to capture data on retail for the private server to see how stuff works. You don't do it for any other reason.

If reality the actual reason for your boner for catseye out of nowhere, was cause you burned every bridge than existed on retail and now everyone hates you. From the small group of people who could stomach you and did stuff with you every day, some key people left the game and when you tried shouting for hours for people to join your groups nobody good would join you. Instead they just mocked you in yell.

So the only option left was for you now is to move off into a puddle and pretend it's an ocean, and the only reason they put up with you is cause they don't know you well enough yet.

Which is the real reason you did an amazing 180 on private servers out of nowhere isn't it?

[Spicyryan]

That is all untrue, but it suits your views and that is fine because I know what is what, and that is enough for me.

[Gweivyth]

You're replying to a post in a thread called "Horizon Dramaticus Personafication", it's a drama thread.

Also I fully understand human nature, as long as he supplies the product you like you will defend or stay silent on anything they do that is bad. As long as it does not impact the product you want or you in particular, it's k. He could flay and eat kittens alive and you would still login and skillup guard tomorrow, because that's how it is.

However, what these posts are doing is cataloguing all the shady shit he and they are doing, ready for the day when he fucks you and others over. Just as they banned someone you would think they would not ban (setsuko, a large endgame ls leader), they will one day possibly ban or take a dump on you from orbit if you annoy one of their VIP donors, and that's just the way it is on a private server run by "some dude".

Private servers are corrupt by nature due to the kinds of people who run and are invested in them, all the power, all the free money with no checks in place, all the adoration and defenders, all the backstabbing and all the frustrations lead to bad things over time. The people who run them are often damaged people with a laundry list of personality flaws, and ultimately it's just a matter of time till they fuck everyone over.

Imagine 15 years ago during kings and how invested we all were if you could "donate" $5k to SE GMs, that would of been a big deal right? Square Enix are a billion dollar corporation though and they would not take your pissy little $5k to ingratiate yourself with them, a private server owner will though. There won't even be any agreement, there will just be that $5k and him liking you a little bit more than the other guy you have a problem with.

One day you will be fucked over, and on that day all this bounty in the thread will be here for you.

Many people on the outside think Aerec is not a good person and that's a problem because he is effectively the god of your server and all the thousands of hours you're putting into it. There are numerous bad things going on behind the scenes, he has a lot of flaws and he is a gigantic narcissist. It's like having a psycho partner and everyone telling you how bad they are and how crazy they are, and that you should leave them! but they do that thing you like and so you ignore everyone. Then one day you wake up with them staring at you, a knife in their hand and your pp has been removed.

Some people just gotta learn the hard way.

Just as Spicyryan will one day will get removed from catseye for being true to his nature, and on that day he will devote his life to leaking everything he saved up in the time prior on the server and carver, hating everyone playing on it and trying to get it shut down.

Brother, and I mean this in the nicest way, but maybe you should take a step away from the keyboard for a bit. You started out kinda just mid-level mald-y, but have pretty quickly descended into what I can only describe as full on manic hateboner. I think if you come back and read this later you'll go "Yikes, that's cringe."

[Kipling]

I don't know many people who play on private servers, but I find this hard to believe. I think FFXI players skewer towards people in their 30s, who have disposable income. I don't think the subscription is driving them to play private servers. I think its going to be way more likely people who play on private servers just dont like what retail has become post 2010.

Then again, I dont have any real data. But that seems to be the case for all these Classic MMO private servers like EQ and WoW, as other people in this friend have corroborated with their anecdotes.

This is all true. In my experience running the discord/socials, most of the horizon player base are adults with professional careers who would happily pay top dollar for an official classic server, but SE does not offer the product they want to buy. It being free is just a bonus, not the driving factor. Pulling numbers out of my ass, but I would say 2/3 of the players I have talked to would not play retail if PS did not exist - it’s not the experience they’re looking for.

[rate]

Brother, and I mean this in the nicest way, but maybe you should take a step away from the keyboard for a bit. You started out kinda just mid-level mald-y, but have pretty quickly descended into what I can only describe as full on manic hateboner. I think if you come back and read this later you'll go "Yikes, that's cringe."

I don't hate him at all, just telling it like it is.

[Gweivyth]

I'm not sure if you actually believe that or if you're just trying to convince yourself of that, but alright bud.

[Spicyryan]

Just think, BG's forums are getting to relive their glory days.

[rate]

Nice concern trolling Gwei. The reality though is that you're no better than him at taking advantage of people while running a private server. Wings was a total disaster under your watch, all your users learned to dislike you, you desperately wanted to make money from a FFXI private server instead of getting a real job (lolpatreon) and and all your staff abandoned you.

The only real difference between you both is that you're completely incompetent, at least Aerec knows what he is doing and knows how to manipulate people.

btw I don't hate you either.

[arus2001]

Of course retail interest is going to suck when you've got a sea of other more modern games out there while basically being maintenance mode that the established have "beaten" to whatever personal threshold of preference. Even if we take to heart a unique 3-5k user base for a potential classic server that would actually sub, that's simply not worth SE's time for the additional hardware, retrofitting code for authenticity's sake, advertising (lol), and a likely need for additional GMs to babysit the people who refuse to graduate from digital high school. Can we blame XIV for this? Sure, it played its part. Not even WoW stayed classic classic by gradually rolling out expansions, so it's almost like Blizz had an eye for the inevitable content stagnancy argument there that XI suffered through with its horizontal model. Not that this didn't have its cost against retail, either. Though much like Blizz and its treatment of Diablo III, the real travesty of XI retail is not that Abyssea happened with its gear reset and more realistic manpower expectations for content, but that SE effectively gave up on the game after. If they hadn't, we could be looking at 3-5 additional expansions worth of content that would actually be a draw for new players. No one wants to throw money at a dead game, or even a zombie of one. Old-timers like myself need more than just feelgood nostalgia to compel an investment because we also recall where things went wrong with the game before introducing the drama of private server baggage and player politics.